What's in this blog post has been experienced first hand quite a few times from our guys in the workshop so we thought to do our bit to inform people to act promptly and save their vehicles.

Prado & Hilux 1KD-FTV engine (up to 2007) D4D Common Rail Diesel owners: this one is for you. Please pay close attention to this read.

This is about the infamous injector copper washers (or seals). Unfortunately and eventually they will likely all leak.

During compression, the heat eventually melts out the rubber o-ring which is up a little above the copper washer. And above the o-ring, there is an oil channel. The oil that comes down from the injector port gets carbonised into tiny pieces that will end up floating in the oil system and then in the oil sump.

Then when the engine is looking for oil, it will find and suck these tiny particles. Result? Your oil pickup will eventually get blocked.

When that happens, you will get lubrication problems and oil starvation and the very first victim will be the bottom end bearings. Your vehicle will start running crap, the oil light will come on and voila, if you are in the middle of the road, you'll need to be towed away. Plus say goodbye to those Bali holidays savings because you'll be up for a new engine and turbo $$$$

This scenario will affect all those 2006 & 2007 vehicles that are still running around with the older generation of copper washers. From 2008, Toyota introduced and fitted revised coated washers.

If your vehicle is in that year bracket, we can only recommend finding an experienced diesel workshop with experience on 1kd-ftv engines. Some may try DYI but up to your knowledge and confidence to get it right.

Have the injectors and washers checked and replace them only with genuine Toyota or at least with a high-quality aftermarket brand such as this. There are a number of aftermarket brands offering brass washers but that caused controversy among experts due to the nature of brass, a hard material that can't flex and stay sealed.

The same goes with o-rings, any other seals, gaskets, fuel pipes, don't use cheap parts. If your injectors and washers are still the original from 2006, replace them asap. Newly revised copper washers should last every 120.000Km. And don't even think of reusing older washers.

Many common rail diesel owners are aware of this and are on top of it, but many more don't realise the amount of trouble they can get into...so do your vehicle a favour and get those injectors checked!